The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Blessings Collegiate Invitational
Men's Golf Heads to Season-Opening Tournament in Fayetteville
10/3/2021 | Men's Golf
Rebels Get First Taste of Action in Blessings Collegiate Invitational
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Ole Miss men's golf team will officially begin its 2021 fall season in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with the team taking part in the annual Blessings Collegiate Invitational, which is scheduled to begin play on Monday. The team's original season-opening tournament, the Scenic City Invitational, was cancelled due to inclement weather.
Where to Watch
The three-day tournament will be broadcast on the Golf Channel from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. CT during each day of play.
Tournament Schedule
Monday, Oct. 4 – 18 holes (Rebels tee off 10:45 a.m. CT)
Tuesday, Oct. 5 – 18 holes
Wednesday, Oct. 6 – 18 holes
The Lineup
Kye Meeks (R-Fr.)
- Making his collegiate debut after redshirting last season
- Won the prestigious Cotton States Invitational over the summer
- 2020-21 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll
- Ranked as the No. 1 recruit coming out of the state of Mississippi
- Two-time individual state champion in high school
Jackson Suber (Sr.)
- Ranked No. 11 in PGA TOUR University Rankings
- Named 2020-21 PING All-American Honorable Mention, becoming the 11th All-American in school history
- 2021 First Team All-SEC and led the Rebels with a 71.70 stroke average
- Earned his first two collegiate tournament wins during 2020-21 season
- Making his 30th start, playing in every tournament since arriving on campus
Sarut Vongchaisit (Sr.)
- Appeared in all nine of the Rebels' 2020-21 tournaments last season
- Finished the 2020-21 season with a 74.22 stroke average
- Put together his best 18-hole round (66) of the 2020-21 season at the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate
- Making his 24th career start
- Recorded a team-high nine birdies in the Rebels' season-opener tournament last year, the 2020 Blessings Collegiate Invitational
Evan Brown (Gr.)
- Making his Ole Miss debut after transferring from Loyola (Maryland)
- 2020-21 PING All-American Honorable Mention
- Played in 28 tournaments and posted a school-record 71.85 stroke average over his career
- Finished 2020-21 season at Loyola with a team-best 70.90 stroke average, another school record
- Collected a pair of individual tournament wins in his time with the Greyhounds
Brett Schell (So.)
- Recorded a 74.19 stroke average last year, his first season competing for Ole Miss
- Paced the Rebels at the NCAA Stillwater Regional, tying for 21st at 4-over par (75-71-74—220)
- Played in all nine tournaments last season
- Shot a career-low 213 (73-71-69) at the 2020 Vanderbilt Legends Collegiate, which included his first round in the 60s as a Rebel
- Led Ole Miss in his collegiate debut, tying for 34th at the Blessings Collegiate Invitational
The Field
Arizona
Arkansas
Houston
Illinois
Louisville
North Carolina
Ole Miss
Tennessee
Texas Tech
UCLA
The Course
The Blessings Golf Club stretches to over 7,500 yards and plays as a par 72. The course was originally designed by architect Robert Trent Jones, Jr. with a redesign recently completed by noted architect Kyle Phillips. In 2019, Blessings hosted both the NCAA Men's and Women's Golf Championships.
Thoughts From Coach Malloy
"We are extremely excited to finally get the year started. Our guys were ready to go two weeks ago in Chattanooga, but unfortunately Mother Nature had other plans. This is as good a test of golf as we will see all year and an incredible, demanding course off the tee. I'm looking forward to seeing our guys come out of the gates this week!"
Suber Remains No. 11 in PGA TOUR University Rankings
Senior Jackson Suber has maintained his position at No. 11 in the most recent PGA TOUR University rankings that were updated Wednesday, Sept. 29. Suber sits as the lone Ole Miss golfer within the Top 50 of the rankings, with the next highest Rebel being newcomer Evan Brown, who is currently ranked No. 54.
Kye Meeks to Make Rebel Debut
After being redshirted for the 2020-21 season, Kye Meeks is prepared to make his much anticipated debut for the Rebels at the Blessings Collegiate Invitational. The Walnut, Mississippi, native saw a string of strong play over the summer, in which he won the prestigious Cotton States Invitational as well as another tournament at The Country Club of Oxford, and that strong play has now carried into the fall. Meeks committed to Ole Miss as the No. 1 ranked golf recruit out of the state of Mississippi following two individual state championships with Walnut High School.
New Rebel, But A Veteran
Evan Brown may be the newest Rebel, but he's one of the most experienced golfers on the team. After graduating from Loyola (Maryland), where he set numerous school records and became a PING All-American Honorable Mention, Brown transferred to Ole Miss for his final season of college golf. Over his career, Brown played in 28 tournaments for the Greyhounds. Last season, he produced a 70.90 stroke average to break his own school record. Making the starting five in his first tournament as a Rebel, Brown adds a veteran presence to the Ole Miss lineup.
The Malloy Effect
Now entering his eighth season at the helm of the Ole Miss men's golf program, head coach Chris Malloy is prepared to lead a promising roster into the 2021-22 season. Coming off of a season where Malloy led the Rebels to an appearance in the NCAA Stillwater Regional, as well as coaching an All-American in Jackson Suber for the third time in his tenure as head coach for the team, Malloy is looking to carry that momentum into a new year. As the Rebels' head coach, Malloy has coached the team to six team tournament victories alongside 16 individual tournament titles being won under his guidance, two of which came last season.
Next on the Tee
Following this week's stint in Fayetteville, the Rebels will have a quick turnaround as the team will travel to Birmingham, Alabama to start play in the SEC Match Play Championship (Oct. 10-12). Ole Miss will then wrap up their fall season in The Bahamas, where the team will take part in the White Sands Bahamas Invitational (Oct. 29-31).
Follow the Rebels
For updates throughout the tournament, follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissMGolf. Additional updates and information on the team can be found on Instagram at OleMissMGolf, on Facebook at Ole Miss Men's Golf and on OleMissSports.com.
Players Mentioned
